CM Storm QuickFire Rapid with Cherry MX Green Switch Review

Since the release of its QuickFire Rapid in late 2011, Cooler Master has done well to capture a good portion of the mechanical keyboard market. Its models are built-well, cater to gamer and traditional user alike, and look good. What’s next? Introducing a keyswitch that no other company in North America can: Cherry MX Green.

Testing & Final Thoughts

To be perfectly honest, I’ve got a bit of a keyboard fetish. Over the years, I’ve used and sampled almost thirty different keyboards. Today I have around ten keyboards here at my apartment alone (four of which are Techgage review samples). I’ve sold quite a few others that I’ve previously owned as well. The others have been given to clients and family members for whom I had built PCs.

I’ve owned membrane switch keyboards of many types; I’ve also owned several keyboards with each of the four major Cherry MX mechanical key switch types. But until receiving this QuickFire Rapid for review, I had never used a keyboard with the Cherry MX Green switch.

So although I do have experience with three of CM’s Storm mechanical keyboards (the original QuickFire Rapid with Blues that I borrowed for a few days from a good friend, a QuickFire Pro with Browns that I bought at a substantial discount, and the QuickFire TK with Reds that I reviewed in November 2012, this review is still a bit of a revelation to me.

The simple fact is that each Cherry MX switch type is different from each other. So although I have significant time with the Blue (my favorite), Brown, Black, and Red switch types, the Greens promise to deliver a different experience compared to anything I’ve used up to this point.

The first press revealed a lot: It required a noticeable amount of extra force to activate compared to my favorite Blues. As Cooler Master’s own CM University reveals, there are distinct differences in required actuation force for each switch type. The Blues require 50g, the Greens 80g. Thirty grams may not seem like much, but in practice it’s a difference you can definitely feel. There is also a noticeable tactile bump in the keys’ downward travel, which is something the Green shares with the Blue switch type as well. Echoing Cooler Master’s own conclusion – that you can view Greens as a stiffer version of the Blues – is apt.

Like my Blue-equipped daily driver, the Green-shod QuickFire Rapid is a dream to type on. While I think I still much prefer the Cherry MX Blue switch best, the Greens have moved past the Browns as my second favorite type. I really have come to depend on the tactile and auditory feedback you get from both the Blue and the Green switches, so that largely explains my strong preference for them.

I’m still quicker on my daily driver compared to the Green QuickFire Rapid: 92WPM/0 errors vs. 88WPM/0 errors (results compiled through the average of three runs of the same typing speed/accuracy test I always use on TypingTest.com). It’s a miniscule difference, but I think my little bit of extra speed comes through the significant advantage of familiarity with the Blue switch type. I’m a little unsure what impact the difference in activation force makes, if any, but I do know that I find the super-light (45g) Cherry MX Red-equipped keyboards that I’ve used to be the worst both in speed and in accuracy for me. It’s a little interesting that the 5g difference between the Blue and Red switches negatively impacts my typing speed and accuracy far more than the 30g difference between the Blues and Greens.

The unanswered question, of course, is whether or not I’ll gain even more speed without losing accuracy with the Green switches. This is a difficult issue to address, simply because of the massive disparity in familiarity that I have for the Blues compared to the Greens. Nevertheless, to register typing speeds 95.6% of my best average performance with Blues with a keyboard fitted with a hitherto unfamiliar switch type vouches for the overall quality of the QuickFire Rapid. That I don’t make typos whilst doing so is even more impressive. I mean, with most other keyboard reviews that I’ve done, I would typically make an error here and there.

Ergonomically, the QuickFire Rapid hits the sweet spot. The key layout is ideal, with no keys in weird or unexpected positions. I’m sure that this is one reason for my accuracy with this keyboard. The lack of a number pad does impact its usefulness as a plank for the office (I enter a lot of numerical data in my day job), but end users know that prior to buying one of these, so complaints on this particular front would be outright daft.

It’s fun enough to use in games, though the weight of the Green switches do take a little bit of getting used to. In this usage scenario, you do notice the heavier actuation force required. I can’t say I felt any undue finger fatigue using the QuickFire Rapid in games, but then again I don’t spend extended hours just gaming the night away. For hour-long (or maybe even two hours) sessions, the Cherry MX Green-equipped QuickFire Pro is as good as any mechanical keyboard as I’ve used. I’m not a gamer who relies on macros at all, so I didn’t miss this functionality whatsoever. Just know beforehand that that particular arrow is not in this keyboard’s quiver.

In terms of the keyboard itself, well, it certainly feels like a very high-quality item. It exhibits zero chassis flex, and it’s quite heavy for its size. I especially like the bulletproof impression it exudes, a feeling I got when I reviewed the QuickFire TK some months ago.

If there is one quibble that I’d bother to point out, it’s the detachable USB cable. Now, this is a feature all of the company’s mechanical keyboards share; to be perfectly honest, I find this feature to be a bit on the pointless side. I simply don’t see what practical advantage there is in being able to remove the cable from the keyboard. Not only that, but I also think that having a detachable cable introduces an additional potential point of failure: It’s not unknown for USB connectors to incur damage. Having said that, if your cable does get damaged, it’s possible to replace just the cable, instead of junking the entire keyboard (assuming, of course, the end user doesn’t possess the ability to repair a broken USB connector).

The QuickFire Rapid with Cherry MX Green switches has an MSRP of $99.99. I think this is a fair price for a truly high-quality keyboard. There are gaming keyboards out there that cost more, yet will never approach the QF Rapid in terms of build quality. There’s also some value to having a keyboard equipped with the rare Cherry MX Green switches. It’s a bit like owning an objet d’art, a conversation piece: Not everyone has one, and it’s a point of pride amongst the number of people who do own one because of it.

But to classify this keyboard equipped with this type of mechanical key switch as a mere trophy is to sell it far too short since it is a superior performer at the job it’s supposed to do. It’s a touch typist’s keyboard, for sure. And it’s more than adequate for gamers as well (just as long as you accept that it doesn’t do macros out of the box, since it doesn’t come with a dedicated software package as some of its market competitors do).

So, let’s get to the million dollar question: What do we make of the QuickFire Rapid with Cherry MX Green switches, since its CM Storm brethren all earned Techgage’s esteemed Editor’s Choice award?

This is a great-looking KB. I wish CM would release something like this, but with a numpad, and build macro functionality in without a series of additional keys. I’d love to be able to hit a “Macro On” key that would transform some of the regular keys into preset macros. For example, since I tend to never use the F1 – F12 keys in games, I’d like to convert them to macro keys instead.

Or if this solution wouldn’t work, I’d be content with macro keys on top of the board, above the F row. I truly dislike macro keys to the side.

JD Kane

If this was a full-sized plank (that is, one equipped with a 10-key), it would be an absolute keeper. I prefer KBs sans extra key sets (macro keys, etc) and function sets myself (I’m a more basic user, I guess), but I wouldn’t be opposed to having one as you’ve described, Rob.

I’m very curious about whether or not I could adapt myself well enough to the Green switches to make me prefer them over my favorite Blues. I guess that’s the sort of question that can only be answered after the passage of adequate time.

http://www.facebook.com/deathspawner Rob Williams

I’ve only EVER used Browns and it kind of drives me nuts. Would like to take a Green for a spin one of these days, because it sounds kind of up my alley. And as for macro features, I just want it to be simple… a single button that enables macro features for any other keys, that’s it. I -love- the clean design of KBs like this, but just want that one little thing :D

Carter

Hi Rob,

We have exactly what you are looking for. Be sure to check out the Quickfire XT (Google it) It should be out the first week of July

http://www.facebook.com/deathspawner Rob Williams

Hi Carter!

From what I can tell, there’s no macro modifier key on that KB. Am I missing it? I wasn’t able to find an image large enough to see a close-up of all of the keys. Either way, that keyboard definitely looks attractive.

umasou

I was looking for a review on this and came upon this site. Thanks for the review and look forward to more!

JD Kane

Glad you found Techgage! Thanks for the kind comment.

Please do check back often. We’re dedicated to bringing everybody the best in reviews and other content in regards to tech! :)

And do tell your friends, too. :)

Bradley Haggerty

I love your writing. There was so much build up in this. I was at maximum hype and giggling as I read this. I’m typing on a CM Storm QuickFire Rapid with Blue switches and wanted to read a review on the version with Greens because I find Blues to be far too light for me. I don’t like the sound of bottoming out. I also haven’t been able to reach my old top typing speed of 146wpm since going mechanical, and I think it could be due to how light Blue switches are.